Count On Me
by Sailor Drarry
Summary: 8th Year fic. Harry Potter just wants one peaceful year at Hogwarts where nothing out of the ordinary happens. Of course, a still-clumsy Neville Longbottom manages to shatter that wish, leaving Harry with a younger version of a certain blond Slytherin.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I am a young, Australian male that has never worked hard a day in his life. Therefore I do not fit the criteria to be classified as J.K. Rowling and do not own Harry Potter (or Draco Malfoy for that matter *sighs*). All characters, items, spells, etc. that you recognise belong to her marvellous brain. Anything you don't is probably of my own poor creation.

**A/N:** So, this is my first attempt at fan fiction ever. Yay me! This is going to be pretty much pre-slash most of the way through, however when I get to the last couple of chapters and the epilogue, there will be some slashy-ness…hopefully. Also, it will be pretty much fluff most of the way. If there is any angst, it will probably only be light. Warnings for bad language, slightly broken!Draco and an eventual de-aging cliché. Also, I'm crap at assigning categories. They may change part way through.

Please don't maim me if my characters seem a little off. Like I said, first time writing fan fiction, so there are bound to be errors that may seem way off.

Everything is canon up until May 2nd 1998 in the book. That's when I take over :)

This first chapter is mostly descriptive and background info. As for length, I really can't tell if they will all be of similar length or if they will vary. Although I get the feeling the next one may be a tad longer.

Not even remotely sorry for anything that seems 'non British'. I feel like I've read enough to know what to do there. All names, spells and so on were checked on Harry Potter Wiki. Oh, also I don't have a beta, so there's a spot open if you wish :)

Story named based on the title of the Bruno Mars song. I feel that the song will suit my ideas for this story.

Okay, enough drivel from me, let's go.

* * *

Count On Me – Prologue

With great apprehension, Draco Malfoy passed through the magical barrier and onto Platform 9 ¾ on the first of September 1998. When there was no immediate hysteria, or cries of 'Death Eater scum!' Draco carefully and expertly weaved his way through the throngs of parents and students milling about on the platform. He hadn't brought much with him in the form of luggage – only a satchel bag with an Undetectable Extension Charm – and he had already sent his eagle owl on its way to the Owlery at Hogwarts. After quickly checking over his shoulder, he boarded the Hogwarts Express.

Now, Draco was a person who knew when to count his blessings – after all, living with the Dark Lord for a few years, and _surviving_, was a challenge in itself – so he was immensely relieved when he managed to find an empty compartment and slip inside without being hexed into the middle of next year. Although that's not to say he didn't spot anyone he recognised. He happened to notice Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini sharing a compartment with none other than Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom. _Well, well _Draco thought. _Look who's trying to suck up to the Gryffindors_.

Draco was well aware that the "eighth years" of Slytherin House would be few in number. Aside from himself, Pansy and Blaise, the only other Slytherins from his year returning to Hogwarts were Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass. Vince was dead, Greg was in Azkaban and Millicent was _apparently_ in France. Aside from those few, Draco didn't particularly know, or care for that matter, what happened to the other Slytherins from his year.

After storing his bag, Draco settled down next to the window and prepared for the journey to Hogwarts. It was during this time that he reflected upon the events that had taken place within the last few months.

He had _just_ been able to escape Azkaban by the skin of his teeth. At first he had been resigned to his fate, happy at least to be close to his father who he knew would be in Azkaban come hell or high water. However, Draco's trial had taken an unforseen turn when the courtroom door opened to admit his unexpected defence counsel. It was all he could do not to gape when Harry James Potter strode confidently into the room, stated Draco's case and then, quite easily, got him cleared of the charges that would land him in Azkaban. Draco's only sentences were house arrest and then completion of his repeated seventh year at Hogwarts, but before he could even manage a simple 'Potter', said man exited the courtroom in a flurry of robes and media reporters. Draco also found out that not only had Potter been present at both of his parents' trials, he also managed to reduce Lucius' sentence by around ten years and convince the Wizengamot to sentence his mother to house arrest for three years.

Unfortunately, both of Draco's parents barely completed a fraction of their respective sentences. Lucius was beaten to death by a group of prisoners after nearly two months in Azkaban. After receiving the news of Lucius' death, Narcissa became highly distraught, then depressed, and passed away two weeks later. Due to the terms of the house arrest on both Draco and his mother, no one outside of the Ministry was allowed on the grounds of Malfoy Manor and so Draco had to bury his parents with the help of a single wizard from some obscure department he hadn't even heard of.

With the prohibition of non-Ministry persons placed on the Manor, Draco's only form of communication was by owl. He had sent letters to Pansy, Blaise and Theo to inquire after their well-being, the state of their families' affairs and whether or not they would be returning to Hogwarts for their Eighth Year. Pansy and Blaise both sent back very formal and cold responses whereas Theo's was neutral if not the slightest bit friendly. Draco surmised from these responses that he would probably only have Theo for company throughout the next school year. While this was a little disappointing, he honestly had expected a lot worse, if not no responses at all.

Since Draco still had use of his owl, he was able to receive the _Daily Prophet_ each day. Rumour had it that the _Prophet_ had been completely overhauled in the wake of the Dark Lord's downfall, with a near-complete cull of staff – the most notable being Rita Skeeter. Despite the fact that a lot of the news articles were tediously dull or absurdly repetitious in number, (really, how many articles about _Saint Potter_ does a person need?) the information that passed as news helped Draco to stay in touch with the Wizarding world and stave off boredom for at least an hour or two at a time. At one point, Draco had even taken out a subscription to _The Quibbler_ just for a bit of variety and a possible laugh. Along with his subscriptions to other publications such as: _Which Broomstick?_ _Transfiguration Today_ and _The Practical Potioneer_, Draco did not go wanting in terms of reading material to help pass the time. He even managed to get his hands on a copy of a Wizarding magazine about Muggles and their lifestyle (conveniently titled _'Muggle Matters'_); however he quickly became frustrated with their way of attempting to explain Muggle concepts and determined he would need the help of someone like Potter or Granger if he was to fully understand "electricity" and its necessity to Muggles.

Aside from reading anything he could get his hands on, Draco spent the rest of his time under house arrest wandering aimlessly around the Manor. Each day he would go to a different room and examine its contents, talk to some of the portraits on the walls, and, if he was in a really _creative_ mood, he would try his hand at redecorating some of the smaller, less-visited rooms. While taking his daily amble about his residence, Draco also found that he had a lot of time to just _think_; think about his earlier years when Hogwarts seemed like forever away, think about how he acted around his parents and the house elves, think about the choices he had made for himself, think about what would happen to him when he did return to school, think about what his future held in general. He was disturbed to realise that a lot of these trains of thought managed to somehow lead him to one Harry Potter. What was even more shocking was the thought of what it would be like to be in a relationship with Potter. Now, Draco had known for a while that he was heterosexually challenged, but the fact that he was _fantasising_ – if you could call it that – about the Golden Boy… Well, Draco didn't know what to make of that.

Draco's last coherent thought before dozing off was: _Maybe I just need to get laid. Yeah, that would probably stop thoughts of Potter._

* * *

.oOo.

* * *

Harry Potter had had been quite busy since the defeat of Voldemort at the start of May. Initially, his body had practically screamed _"That's it, I've had enough!"_ – which resulted in him passing out for three days – but after being holed up at the Burrow for a week, and attending several funerals, he decided that it was time to get to work.

The main item on the list was the rebuilding of Hogwarts. Harry took it upon himself to speak to the new Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, about setting up a task force for the project to which the Minister readily agreed. The number of people involved with the rebuild was limited due to the fact that nearly everyone would want a chance to work alongside the Great Harry Potter to rebuild Hogwarts, plus, if there was hoards of people moving about on the site, it would less productive than if there was only people who were _actually_ working. So it was decided that the reconstruction team consisted of: Harry, Hermione, the Weasleys, Hogwarts' staff and students, five teams of professional Ministry construction workers and Kingsley himself when he had a spare moment.

The reconstruction actually progressed much quicker than Harry had anticipated. The majority of the exterior reconstruction was handled by the Ministry workers, with occasional help from Harry or Ron, and was all but completed by the middle of June. While work was happening outside, the rest of the volunteers were hard at work inside restoring classrooms, repairing furniture and generally just cleaning the place up. The staff members were responsible for checking and renewing all of the enchantments within the ancient castle and applying new ones where they were required. Professor – now Headmistress – McGonagall specifically requested the help of both Harry and Hermione, to Hermione's delight. When asked about Ron, McGonagall gave them a look that said 'do you really think that is wise' and let the question go unanswered.

It was nearly one month into the rebuild, when Harry got an anonymous letter one morning at the Burrow. It was simple, no longer than four lines of writing, but the message was one of importance to Harry. The Malfoys' trials were imminent. Unsure of the more specific details, Harry did as requested and waited out by the Weasley's shed at a quarter past nine. He was only slightly startled when Kingsley himself apparated next to Harry, grabbed him by the elbow, and then whisked him away to the Ministry.

The trials themselves were fairly easily handled. Draco's was first and so Harry strode confidently into the courtroom, like Dumbledore had done for him, and efficiently provided the details and evidence necessary to save Draco from Azkaban. Narcissa's was next and that went just as easily as the previous one. However, Lucius' trial was a bit trickier. Not only had he been present during the First Wizarding War, he also played the major role in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and hosted Voldemort in his own home. Harry himself couldn't come up with strong evidence to keep Malfoy senior from Azkaban, however, his testimony did help to reduce his sentence a small fraction. The thing that pleased Harry the most though, was the looks of pure shock and disbelief he left on all three of their faces as he exited the courtroom.

Not long after the trials had finished, and the rebuild was nearly two thirds of the way through, Ginny approached Harry early one morning to discuss their relationship – or lack thereof.

Harry had had an inkling that this conversation would be coming, but he had hoped it would have been later rather than sooner. Still, they quietly discussed what had happened after Harry had "abandoned her" during Bill's wedding and the months that had followed. Harry had explained that he wasn't sure if he could be in a stable relationship at least until the school year started back and that he wanted to remain aloof for a while and maybe experiment a bit. Ginny had understood completely and then revealed that she had been in a relationship with Neville during her previous year at Hogwarts and that she and Harry wouldn't be getting back together. Honestly, Harry had been surprised and not surprised at the same time. Surprised because Ginny did go and find someone else, and that that someone was Neville; but not surprised because being at Hogwarts last year would have been very difficult and Ginny would have needed support from someone else.

So Harry spent every day until late July rebuilding Hogwarts by day and then spending time with the Weasleys and Hermione at night. It was a comfortable routine. On occasion, Andromeda would bring Teddy over and he would get to spend some quality time with his godson. Harry's birthday was just after the completion of the reconstruction and in honour of everything that Harry, and everyone else, had accomplished over the past year; Molly went all out and engineered a magnificent birthday party. Not only was the party to celebrate Harry's birthday, but it was also the best way to celebrate the lives of those they had lost during the war. By the time the party ended, Harry was completely stuffed full of food and fairly tipsy from the amount of alcohol he had consumed. It was his favourite birthday yet and he had a good feeling that it would never be topped.

* * *

.oOo.

* * *

Ron and Hermione were sitting comfortably next to each other in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Across from them, Harry was perched on the edge of his seat, legs bouncing nervously. After about five minutes, Hermione couldn't take any more, so she spoke up.

"Harry, stop it. You're starting to get on my nerves"

"Sorry, 'Mione." Harry replied. "It's just that, for some reason, I kind of want this to go well. I don't want to foul it up. With everything that's happened, I can't help but be nervous, can I?"

Nervous was an understatement, really. Harry was very much an anxious wreck. He had been since he'd boarded the train. See, Harry had decided earlier in the day that he was going to give Draco Malfoy his wand back; the one that Harry managed to wrestle from him back at Malfoy Manor. The problem is, is that they're not exactly nice towards each other at the best of times. Sure they had saved each other's lives during the war, but Harry had a feeling that not much would have changed between them aside from that and that being in a confined space would lead to disastrous results.

Hermione interrupted his thoughts. "Honestly, Harry. I don't see what the big problem is. Yes, it's Draco Malfoy. Yes, you've been at each other for years. Yes, you were on opposite sides of the war. But for god's sake Harry, I'd like to think that you've both grown up. If you can't find a way to be in a compartment together for more than thirty seconds without hexing each other, then I will personally hex you both six ways from Sunday!" Next to her, Ron snorted a laugh. Hermione turned a glare on him. "Don't you start, Ronald Weasley. You're in the same boat. You'll be around Malfoy more often this year, so I expect you to watch your mouth and your wand. If you make any references to ferrets in front of him, I'll transfigure you into a weasel." Ron went pale at the threat and Harry couldn't help the laugh that escaped him.

"Alright, I get it," Harry said throwing up his hands in surrender. "No taunting Malfoy." He stood up and opened the compartment door. Taking a deep breath, he turned around and winked at a still pale-faced Ron, then fled.

Harry had made his way to the very last carriage of the train that held students. This took longer than anticipated since everyone who saw him pass wanted to say hello and inquire after his health, at least. At most, he got stuck talking to a fourth year Hufflepuff boy about Quidditch for nearly ten minutes. He just didn't have the heart to tell the poor boy he needed to get somewhere.

At last he reached the final compartment on the train. _He's got to be in this one. _Harry thought. _I've gone through every carriage and there hasn't been hide or hair of him. Interesting, there aren't any privacy wards on the door. You'd think Malfoy would be the kind of guy to have his back protected. Oh well, here goes nothing. _Harry approached and slid open the compartment door carefully, but stopped in his tracks when he saw the blond boy inside.

* * *

**A/N:** Ahahaha, does leaving the very first chapter of a story as a semi-cliffie make me evil? I'd like to think not. Maybe that's just my way of getting you to review so that I can gauge what people think? Would you like to read more? If so, review please! :)


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello again! I am overwhelmed by the number of story and favourite alerts I have received for just the Prologue. You are all amazing people! :)

Thank you to those who did leave a review (either on here or via tumblr). I probably won't respond to the reviews themselves, but anything that can be considered important, I will put the note before a chapter.

So, to **gabicoesil **- yes that was the actual point. I knew it was attention seeking and that it was unnecessary, but that's how it came out when I wrote it and I figured that would be the easiest way to generate interest in my **_very first story_**.  
**bvcsalvatore** - yes I am the guy from tumblr, presuming you were the one who told me you were going to r&r and then asked me about the pottermore sorted scarf?

Also, to the lovely person who sent their review through my tumblr ask (I'm sorry, I've forgotten your url), you are amazing. If it's possible, try to review as much as you can please! :3

Okay, that's enough. Let's continue.

* * *

Count On Me – Chapter 1

_Draco was cautiously making his way through the Room of Requirement. It was essential that he find Potter and get his wand back. He didn't think that he would be able to survive the battle if he didn't have a wand that worked perfectly. There was too much at stake to attempt to battle using his mother's wand. Draco looked behind him; Crabbe and Goyle had disappeared somewhere. Oh well, it wasn't that important. It wasn't like he was actually planning to _fight _Potter for his wand, although he would if it came to it. Draco rounded a corner and spotted Potter standing not too far away, looking at something shiny in his hands._

"_There you are Potter! I believe you have something of mine."_

_Potter whipped his head around at the sound of Draco's voice. He produced Draco's wand and smirked. "What would that be, Malfoy? Your wand? I think you'll find that it doesn't belong to you anymore."_

"_You're lying, Potter" Draco growled. "I've had that wand since I was eleven."_

"_Oh no, I must not tell lies." Potter smiled a sickly sweet smile at him. "When I disarmed you at the Manor, your wand switched its allegiance, you see?" Potter lowered his voice to a dramatic whisper that still carried throughout the room. "This is the wand that will defeat Voldemort."_

_Draco flinched at the name. "How is that even possib-"Draco didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. A loud rushing sound has reached his ears. He turned around to be confronted with a wall of bright orange and red flame that reached the tall ceiling of the room. Draco quickly spun back around. Potter was gone. In his place was a large dragon made out of the fire itself. Panicked, Draco looked around frantically for a way to escape. It was hard to concentrate due to the intensity of the heart that surrounded him._

_Out of the corner of his eye, Draco noticed a very tall stack of old school desks and chairs. Figuring that this was his only option, he proceeded to climb towards the top of the heap. This seemed to be futile since the flames and the dragon climbed with him and started to slowly close in on him from all sides._

_Draco saw a streak of black zoom past him. Potter was fleeing the room on a broom and leaving Draco behind! Wasn't that damned Gryffindor supposed to have some sort of hero-complex? Draco cursed inwardly. Of course Potter wouldn't save him. Not like there was anything worth saving, was there? He dropped to his knees and started to sob; the sound drowned out against the roaring flames. This was how he was going to die. He had always envisioned something a bit more fitting for a Malfoy, but as they say: beggars can't be choosers._

_Suddenly, Draco felt that there was a presence in front of him. He lifted his head and stared in shock. Right in front of his was a pair of vivid green eyes; each one as big as Draco's head. He knew those eyes! "Potter?" he croaked._

_The eyes appeared to widen slightly. "Malfoy?" Potter's voice boomed._

_Yes! Potter had come back to save him after all! He attempted to call for help, but his words were replaced by his own screaming as the flames immediately descended upon him. He could still hear Potter's voice calling him though._

"_Malfoy? Malfoy, wake up!"_

_Wake up? What was the idiot talking about? Draco was already awake. He knew because he was feeling the flames that were _burning him alive_! Yet that didn't seem to deter Potter._

"_Malfoy!"_

_This was getting old pretty fast. If he had the capacity to talk right now, he'd be screaming 'What the fuck is wrong with you, Potter? _Help me!' _As if spurred by Draco's thoughts, he felt a cool sensation of both of his shoulders. Whatever it was, it was starting to shake him back and forth slightly. Draco's vision started to fade; and with it, Potter's voice._

"_Malfoy!"_

"Malfoy!"

"Draco, wake up damn it!"

Draco jerked awake, looking around frantically with wild eyes. They immediately honed in on the person crouched in front of him: Potter. With a sudden wave of nausea, his memory caught up with him. He must have dozen off earlier. _Shit!_ He must have been having a nightmare. They weren't uncommon. _Double shit!_ Potter must have walked into the compartment _during_ Draco's nightmare. This must mean that it was the _real_ Potter he was talking to during his nightmare. Well, his eyes at least. Thoroughly mortified and just a tad hysterical, Draco quickly scrambled to the other end of his seat, huddled up in the corner where the wall behind his seat met the wall with the door. He sat there staring at Potter with wide, unblinking eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing in here Potter?" Draco roared. Admittedly, his roar of rage came out as shrill hysteria. "Do you just walk into everyone's compartment and stare at them while they sleep?"

Surprisingly, Potter didn't respond. He simply stood up, sat on the opposite seat, crossed his arms loosely over his chest and looked at Draco with an even gaze. This didn't seem to help though. If anything it made Draco's hysteria increase.

"If you enjoy looking at me that much, why don't you take a bloody picture, Potter? It'll last longer." Draco cringed internally at that. _Not my finest moment; but I'll take what I can. _"Fuck, Potter! Don't just sit there and stare. Do something! Anything!" Draco had reached peak hysteria by this point, which was why he jumped and all but screamed when he felt a cool, invisible mist float over him. Immediately, his heart rate slowed and his tightly-coiled muscles relaxed, making him slump in his seat. He glanced at Potter, but the man looked no different. "What did you do to me?" he asked.

"Calming Charm" was Potter's simple response.

"Why?"

Potter simply gave him a look that said 'Really? You really need to ask that question?' Okay, so the man had a point. He _may_ have been hysterical. _It's fine. It happens to the best of them _he told himself. But wait, something was a bit off.

"Alright, fine. How, then?" Draco asked. "I didn't see your wand."

"That's because I didn't use it."

"Ever the show-off eh, Potter?"

Potter actually cracked a smile at this and rolled his eyes at Draco. "Good to know you haven't changed much, Malfoy."

Silence hung between the two wizards and Potter's smile slowly faded. Draco was starting to contemplate the numerous reasons which would bring Potter to his compartment, when the man himself broke the silence.

"So… How've you been, Malfoy?"

To Draco it seemed like such a ridiculous question. How the hell did Potter think he'd been? He'd been at home for the past four months; three of them enforced by house arrest. This was the second time he'd been outside the Manor since the end of the war. As angry as the question made him, the Calming Charm that Potter had cast on him prevented him from snapping at the git.

"How the hell do you think I've been, Potter?" He answered tiredly. "I've been practically exiled from the Wizarding World since the end of the war, my parents are dead and the only productive things I've done during the past four months are read and redecorate the Manor." He sighed. "It's a wonder that I'm even allowed back at Hogwarts after everything that's happened." Draco could help the bitterness that crept into his voice.

Potter gave him a small, sad smile. "I know how you feel. I've had the public shun me before; remember fifth year? I had nearly everyone call me crazy and abandon me because I '_thought_' that Voldemort had returned." He snorted. "Besides, even though a lot of the students may not like you, McGonagall – among others – sees something in you that has made her believe that you deserve a second chance. Being back at Hogwarts this year is your chance to capitalise on this opportunity."

"If you say so, Potter. Tell me, who are these 'others'?" Draco sneered.

"Dumbledore and myself."

Draco swallowed thickly. "D-Dumbledore?"

"Of course. He always believed in second chances. If I'm not mistaken, he offered you one once."

By this point, Draco had gone pale. Well, paler than usual, that is. "How w-would you know about t-th-that?" He asked weakly.

"Simple. I was there the night he offered it to you."

"Oh. I see." Really, what else was there to say? Potter had somehow been on the tower that night and had seen and heard everything. Seen how Draco's wand had shook in his hand. Heard how Dumbledore had offered protection and a second chance. Seen how close Draco had been to taking up his offer, before Severus had shown up. Draco composed himself a bit. "Well. Let's say I wanted this second chance. How would I go about it?"

Potter's brows knitted together for a moment and then he said "Well you've already taken the first step, which is returning to Hogwarts for your eighth year." He paused for a moment. "Secondly, I think it would be best if we were the ones to set an example for all the 'House Unity' that McGonagall is going to hammer into everyone this year. And to do that" Potter stood up "we need to start anew. Yes, we can acknowledge that we share a somewhat rocky history, but I think it would be best if we show the school that Potter and Malfoy have finally laid things to rest." Potter stuck out his hand. "What do you say?"

Draco had stood up at the same time that Potter did, but he wasn't quite sure why. Did he really want to effectively start fresh with Potter? The boy he had taunted, and who gave back as good he got, for the past seven years. Would it set a good example, or would it just crash and burn after a few days, a week tops? What about Granger and the Weasel? Did they know that Potter was doing this? What would they say? Would they still hate him after everything he had said and done to them? The only reason he did anything to them is because they were Potter's friends; and he wasn't. That was the crux of it, wasn't it? Potter rejection had made him angry and bitter. But here it was now, the thing he had wanted since he was seven years old: to be friends with Harry Potter. Staring at the hand in front of him, Draco made up his mind but Potter seemed to have taken his long silence as a rejection.

"Um, Malfoy? I understand if you don't want to attempt a friendship, but I think I might have something that will sweeten the deal."

Draco gave Potter a sceptical look. What could the Golden Boy have that would make Draco want to be friends with him? Wait. Maybe it's best not to answer that right now.

"Close your eyes and stick your hand out – palm up." Potter said.

"Why?"

"Don't argue with me Malfoy, just do it." Potter sighed. "I'm not going to hurt you; I'm going to give you something."

Draco sighed and complied with Potter's request. There was nothing for a moment, and then Draco heard the sound of material moving. Seconds later, something was placed in the palm of his hand. Some sort of stick. A solid, wooden…stick? _Oh god. Is this what I think it is?_ He closed his hand and sure enough, he felt a familiar tingle rush from his hand, up his arm and ending just under his heart. Draco's eyes snapped open and he stared, open-mouthed, at the hawthorn wand that was currently clenched in his hand. For once, he was completely speechless. Potter had sought out Draco to return his wand to him! It all seemed so surreal that Draco was sure that he would start awake any minute now. He felt his eyes start to prickle. _Fuck. Don't you _dare_ cry in front of Potter_ he warned himself. Unfortunately, Draco was fighting a losing battle, so he did the only thing that he felt capable of doing without collapsing: he threw his arms around Potter's neck and _hugged_ him for all he was worth.

Potter, unprepared for Draco's hug, stumbled backwards slightly. Cautious hands came up to complete the embrace and Draco could feel Potter's hands moving in small, soothing motions on his back.

"Th-thank you, Potter." Draco murmured into the man's ear. "You have n-n-no idea what this m-means to me."

Potter gave a small chuckle. "Oh, I think I do Malfoy. You're welcome."

Draco wasn't sure how long they stood there like that. What felt like hours were, in reality, only a few minutes. Slowly, Draco pulled away from Potter and sat back down. Potter was still standing and watching him, head cocked to the side.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Nothing." Potter answered. The man was a terrible liar; Draco had known that much for years. What he couldn't fathom however, was why Potter was looking at him like he was some sort of exotic animal in a zoo. Draco opened his mouth to say as much to Potter when there was a loud clicking noise and the door to the compartment slid open to reveal a very impatient Granger.

"Harry! What's kept you so long? We're about to arrive in Hogsmeade and you aren't even in your robes yet!"

"Hermione? How'd you get through the wards on the door?"

Wait, Potter had put wards up? That was news to Draco.

"Honestly, Harry. I've known you for years. I know what kind of wards you use when you go to talk to people on the train." She gave him a cool stare "You really think I wouldn't learn how to break through them if I didn't need to?"

Potter went a light shade of pink and smiled sheepishly at Granger. "Um, I guess you're right. I must have been away longer than I thought." He turned to look at Draco. "I guess I'll see you later, yeah?" He didn't wait for a response; instead he turned and left, leaving Draco staring after him with wide eyes. _What the hell just happened?_ he thought. _What does he mean by 'see me later'? But more importantly: he put _wards_ on my door?_ Granger interrupted his train of thought.

"Malfoy." Granger said a somewhat pleasant tone. She nodded at him before moving back down the corridor towards her own compartment.

"This day couldn't get any weirder." Draco mused out loud.

Oh, how wrong he was.

* * *

.oOo.

* * *

Draco stared down at his dessert and pushed it around a bit with his fork. He wasn't really hungry. There seemed to be some sort of nervous knot where his stomach should be, preventing him from eating large amounts of food. He lifted his head and looked around; a few of the other older Slytherins at the table seemed to have a similar problem. Draco found that he could empathise with them. After all, a large portion of Slytherin had been on the wrong side, hadn't they? Being invited back to Hogwarts – or sentenced, depending on your left arm – was a very big deal and Draco couldn't help feeling even more anxious than he had when he boarded the train earlier in the day.

Most of the other students in his house had given him a wide berth. As a result, the closest person to him, several places down the bench, was Theo. Draco looked over at him. He hadn't seemed to have touched much of his food either. Theo met his gaze and gave him a nervous smile. Well, that was more than he was going to get from Pansy or Blaise. Daphne, well, he wasn't sure about Daphne. He hadn't had any problems with her in the past and he was supposed to be wedded to her younger sister, Astoria. But really, that arrangement went down the drain when the Malfoys were stripped of nearly all of their worth. Not to mention that Draco wouldn't have agreed, on account of his own preferences.

Movement at the Head Table caught Draco's attention. McGonagall was about to make her speech. Draco stole a quick glance at the Gryffindor table. Potter was facing the front, so he ended up catching Weasley's stare. When all he did was nod and turn away, Draco let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Before he could think too much about it, McGonagall started to speak.

"Good evening everyone and welcome back for another year at Hogwarts. Most of you are well aware of the events of last year, so I will not go into detail. Over the summer I, along with the staff, several students and teams of Ministry workers dedicated time to rebuilding the castle. While it is not what it once was, you will find that everything has been repaired and you may access all areas of the castle and the grounds.

"This year, there will be changes to your living arrangements. In light of the war, I have decided that it would be prudent to use this school year to create the foundations for House Unity so that it may be built upon in the future. The main way we will be achieving this is by sorting you by year group, not by house."

McGonagall paused here to allow the news to sink in. The reactions varied from gasps, to tears – from the Hufflepuffs of course – to yelling. The only people who hadn't reacted were those seated in close vicinity to Potter. _Of course he knew. He was probably the one who convinced McGonagall to do it in the first place_. McGonagall resumed her speech, speaking a little louder to silence the din of noise from the students.

"Even though we are sorting you by year groups, we will not be changing the seating here in the Great Hall. For meals, you may continue to sit with your own house although, should you be so inclined, you may sit with another house. First years, please note that at the end of this year, you will be moved to your regular house dormitories.

"Also, instead of having a Head of House, this year you will have Year Advisors. These members of staff will effectively have the same role as Head of House and will be waiting for you in your new common rooms, which will be announced at the end."

McGonagall continued speaking, outlining Hogsmeade trips, Quidditch trials (which were to include mixed teams as well) and general advice and warnings. During this time, Draco contemplated his future school life. He was going to be around the other houses this year, not just other Slytherins. Admittedly, this was probably both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, he wouldn't have to face the rest of Slytherin house. On the other, he had to face up to all his peers from the other houses; and survive. That was the most nerve-wrecking thing; would they just ignore him, or would they make life more difficult? Draco rested his head on the table. _God, this is going to be hell_ he thought dismally. He started when he felt someone touch his shoulder.

"C'mon Draco." Theo said softly and jerked his head in the direction of the front of the Hall. Sure enough, nearly everyone else in his year was there, surrounding the Headmistress. Draco heaved himself off the bench and slowly made his way towards the front.

"Now, you are all aware of what is going to happen in regards to your living arrangements?" McGonagall asked. Several heads bobbed and some people mumbled a quiet 'yeah' or 'yes Professor'. "Good. I expect that you will set a good example for the rest of the school considering that _some_ of you in your year have been less than friendly towards each other in the past." Draco swore she glanced between himself and Potter. "Mister Potter?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Please escort your peers back to Gryffindor Tower."

He was going to be living in Gryffindor Tower for the next year? Draco died a little inside.

* * *

A/N: So, that's chapter 1. Quite a bit more dialogue this time - don't worry I don't plan to keep it like the prologue. I know the hug was a _bit_ ooc for Draco, but I plan for him to be little less cold/angry towards Harry due to the war and everything; plus there won't be any more random hugs... for now :)

Reviewers get a Draco hug!


	3. Chapter 2

Hi guys! I'm _really _sorry that this update took a while, life just decided to clobber me a bit. I honestly hadn't expected it to take this long. Thank you so much to those who reviewed and favourited and I will try my very best to update sooner :)

I did try to make this a little bit longer than the last one, but that didn't really happen. Oh well. Enjoy!

* * *

Count On Me – Chapter 2

Harry turned around to face the group lingering in the doorway of the Great Hall. "Okay. For those who haven't been before, I'll show you the quickest way to get to the Tower. If you happen to forget the way, try and find someone else from our year or another Gryffindor student. Um, worst case scenario, ask one of the ghosts." Harry hoped that that little speech sounded confident, because on the inside he was a mess of nerves.

With that, he turned around and began the trek up to the seventh floor and the Fat Lady's portrait. Hermione and Ron were just behind him and he'd asked Dean, Seamus and Neville to bring up the rear. As they reached the fourth floor, Hermione came up level with him.

"Harry, what's going on? What's all this about Year Advisors? Who's ours going to be? And why for that matter—"

Harry cut her off. "As much as you like to know everything before everyone else 'Mione, I'm afraid that you'll just have to wait until we get to the common room." Harry smiled at her.

See, Harry didn't tell Hermione or Ron about the Year Advisor part. Sure, he'd told them about living as year groups and the arrangements he had made room-wise for the three of them; but that was it. Harry liked having secrets that he could keep to himself, at least for a little while. It made him feel like he was important and not in the 'Chosen One' kind of way. When the group reached the Fat Lady's portrait, Harry addressed the group again.

"Everyone, this is the Fat Lady. Behind her lies the entry to Gryffindor Tower. To enter, you simply have to say the password, which will be changed each month. This month's password is," Harry turned to face the portrait, "Sherbet Lemon." The portrait swung open to reveal the common room. Harry climbed through the entry and walked into the centre of the room. Once nearly everyone was in, Harry spoke again.

"Right, could everyone face me please? Thank you. Welcome to Gryffindor Tower!" Harry cringed internally; he sounded like bloody Percy Weasley when he brought everyone up to the common room in Harry's first year. Ron and Hermione also seemed to notice because they both glanced at each other. "The boys' dorms are up the stairs on your left and the girls' are up the stairs on your right. Each room has five beds, meaning that there are more beds than students. Once you have chosen a bed, all left over beds will disappear, so pick wisely. Also, the stairways to both dorms have had _Glisseo_ cast on them – at McGonagall's orders – to prevent boys getting into the girls' dorms and vice versa." There were a few moans at this, the most notable coming from Seamus.

"Harry, where's our Year Advisor?" a Ravenclaw girl asked.

"Good question; I was just about to address this. As you heard earlier, the Year Advisors of the other original dormitories are the respective Heads of House. Since McGonagall is Headmistress, I put in a special request for our Advisor." Harry couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face. "Fellow Eighth Years, let me reacquaint you with our Year Advisor: Professor Albus Dumbledore," Harry gestured towards the fireplace. Immediately, heads turned around and then tilted upwards. On the wall above the fireplace was a very large portrait of Dumbledore; a counterpart to the one in the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore was sitting in the same chair and smiled serenely at everyone.

Hermione was the first to recover from shock. "Professor Dumbledore! What are you doing here?" she squeaked.

"Ah Miss Granger, it's a pleasure to see you as well," Dumbledore said. Hermione blushed. "I do believe Mister Potter explained the situation perfectly; I am to be your Year Advisor this year. Harry, along with the other Professors believed that I was the best candidate for the job. Being a former Headmaster, I have been with you for most of your years here at Hogwarts and know all of you well enough so that you may feel comfortable talking to me. My job as Year Advisor is very much similar to that of a Head of House, so feel free to come and see me if you have any questions about anything at all or, if you wish, to chat."

The group was still silent after Dumbledore's speech. It seemed that they couldn't believe that they were seeing their old Headmaster, let alone that he was also going to be their Year Advisor. Harry decided that it was best if he got everyone to move on and go and select their beds.

"Okay you lot, go and choose your beds!"

That got everyone moving. In a flash, people were moving and pushing and yelling their way towards their respective dormitories. The only person not contributing to the chaos was Malfoy. He was standing still, looking at the fire. It took Harry a couple of seconds for it to click. _Shit! He probably still feels guilty about that night on the Astronomy Tower! _Harry thought. _Maybe I should get him to actually _talk _to Dumbledore about it._ As if stirred by Harry's thoughts, Malfoy turned around and headed towards the boys' dorms; but not before Harry got the chance to notice how pale his face was. Well, er, paler than usual. As Malfoy ascended the stairs, Harry sent a spell towards him to direct him to his room.

"What did you just do to Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

_Crap. You should have known she'd see that,_ Harry chided himself. "Uh, nothing."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "Harry Potter, you tell me what you did this instant!"

"Alright, alright. I cast a spell that will direct Malfoy towards his room."

"What?" Hermione and Ron said together.

Harry sighed. He was going to have to explain everything now. "Okay before I get to Malfoy, I need to tell you guys something." They both nodded encouragingly. "When we were rebuilding up here, I added some rooms, private rooms, for us. Ron, ours are at the top of the stairs to the boys' dorms; 'Mione, yours is the one on the left on the first landing on the way to the girls' rooms. They're locked so that only you can get into them. Also, the _Glisseo_ spell doesn't apply to us." At this, Hermione went pink and Ron looked like he could kiss Harry. Harry avoided that look and continued, "But I also had a fourth room made later.

"After the Malfoys' trials and Draco's sentence to complete his final year, I thought that he might need his own room; I doubted that anyone from any of the other houses would have wanted to share with him. I figured that he, out of everyone else, deserved to have his own privacy this year. I wouldn't put it past some of the others to try and curse him in his sleep. Plus, after what I saw through the connection to Voldemort, I wouldn't be surprised if he had the same…sleeping patterns…as us."

Ron and Hermione both looked away at this. It was known – but not spoken about – between the trio that they all had nightmares from time to time. They were told that they would become less frequent as time passed, but for now, they were pretty intense. What Harry didn't tell them was that he already knew Malfoy had nightmares. He knew the instant he opened the blond's compartment door and saw him curled up on the seat, twitching and mumbling incoherent noises mixed in with an occasional 'Potter' or 'help'. Now, Harry wasn't as intelligent as Hermione, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that Malfoy was having a nightmare; and Harry would bet every last galleon he had that it involved either the Room of Requirement, _Fiendfyre_ or Voldemort.

"So," Harry continued, "Malfoy has his own room with the same wards as ours plus a few more. I reckon he'll need any extra protection he can get this year since most of the upper years were aware of his involvement in the war; some may even want revenge and will use him as a scapegoat."

Ron looked uneasy. _Probably because of having a room so close to Malfoy, _Harry thought, but Hermione just gave him a knowing look and said, "I'm so proud of you, Harry. You're finally moving past your petty childhood squabbles with Malfoy."

With that, she gave him a quick hug, pecked him on the cheek and told him to go to bed. Harry, too happy at the way the evening had gone, didn't argue and trotted up the stairs to his room.

Still downstairs in the common room, Ron and Hermione stood in front of the fireplace as they watched Harry go upstairs.

"I don't like this, 'Mione," Ron said. He turned to face his girlfriend. "I think Harry's becoming obsessed with Malfoy again."

Hermione just shook her head and gave Ron a small smile. "You could be right, Ron." She smirked at her boyfriend. "Five Galleons says that they'll be dating by New Year's." She winked at Ron, who paled slightly.

"Ugh, 'Mione, that's just… ugh," Ron paused and titled his head, "You're on." He gave her a kiss to seal the deal.

* * *

.oOo.

* * *

Draco wasn't sure what was happening. Everything from the end of the feast onwards was starting to blur together. He just remembered the journey to Gryffindor Tower easily enough. _I still can't believe that I have to live here though; everything's so…_red_. You'd think they'd have redecorated or _at least _toned it down._ After stepping through the portrait hole and coming face-to-face with the man he almost murdered, everything fell away.

He had averted his eyes quickly so as not to be noticed by the former Headmaster. Snippets of memories started replaying themselves in his head. Borgin & Burke's, the Room of Lost Things, the bathroom, the Astronomy Tower, Snape, green light, fleeing through the castle, Potter chasing after him. So many painful experiences, each one accompanied by different emotions that churned his stomach and left him with blood rushing in his ears.

"Okay you lot, go and choose your beds!"

Potter's exclamation startled Draco. Fuck, he had to sleep in the same room as other people. It probably wouldn't take long for someone to hex him in his sleep, even with wards around his bed. Not that he didn't deserve it; it's just that it would have been nice not to worry about his own safety now that he was back at Hogwarts. Resigned to his fate, Draco turned around and moved towards the stairway.

No sooner than Draco set foot on the first stair, a glowing white arrow appeared on the stone wall in front of him. It was pointing in the direction of the stairs. Curious, Draco started up the stairs. As he continued upwards, more arrows appeared on the wall, making him go higher and higher until he reached the top landing. He now stood before a semi-circular wall with three doors. Looking closely, they were all the same, except the door on the left had a piece of parchment Spellotaped to it. Draco walked over to the door and carefully detached the parchment and opened it.

_Malfoy,_

_Firstly, don't worry about the arrows, I just wanted to make sure you'd come to this room._

_Beyond this door is your own private bedroom, complete with en suite bathroom. _

_Mine is the one to your immediate right. There is also a door inside that joins the rooms._

_I have warded your room with several privacy charms that can only be undone by me. One of those requires your magical signature; so when you've finished reading this, touch the tip of your wand to the metal plate._

_If you need anything, feel free to ask._

_H.P._

Draco stared at the messy handwriting in shock. His own room? Wait, scratch that; Potter _organised _for Draco to have his own room? All he could think was: _why would the boy I hated – well, actively disliked – for the past seven years suddenly decide to arrange a private room for me?_ Although, now that he thought on it a little more, something else stood out as well; Potter had returned Draco's wand on the train. Draco had honestly not expected it to be returned to him. He figured that Potter would snap it or just toss it aside and forget about it. Were the two events connected? Was Potter trying to tell him something? Were they…friends…now?

The sound of footsteps behind him signalled that Potter and the Weasel were coming. Not ready for confrontation just yet, Draco whipped out his wand and touched the tip of it to the rectangular metal plate that represented the doorknob and slipped into the room. What he saw was _definitely_ not what he expected.

Instead of the regular dorm room that Draco was accustomed to – or the possible _redness _he was anticipating; it was Gryffindor Tower after all – he was pleasantly surprised to find the room decorated in more neutral colours. Specifically, cream walls and warm grey carpet, with the occasional Slytherin green accessory scattered about. On the left wall was a desk wedged between two ceiling-height bookcases, a simple wooden door and then at the back of the room was a decent sized bed with bedside tables. On the right was a fireplace not unlike the one in the common room; surrounded by three couches and a low table in the centre, another wooden door directly across from the one on the left wall, and a large wooden wardrobe against the wall opposite the bed. The final detail was the large, rectangular window that took up a large portion of the back wall. Framed in floor-length green drapes, it had a magnificent view of the grounds and Quidditch pitch.

Satisfied that Potter actually provided a habitable room, Draco walked over to the wardrobe and opened the doors. He then turned and placed his bag on the bed, opened it and then flicked his wand at it, sending his clothes neatly into their new home while he walked over to the door on the left. Remembering Potter's note, Draco opened the door to the bathroom and stuck his head in. Again, it was just as passible as the bedroom; bright, white tiles on the floor and walls, a toilet, a simple sink with a mirrored cabinet overhead, and a combination shower and bathtub. Most importantly though, it was _clean_.

Draco closed the door to the bathroom and went and sat on the edge of the bed. This was all a bit much to take in. Add to that, the fact that he had his wand back, that he barely received a second glance at dinner, and that there was a portrait of the Headmaster that he tried to kill hanging in the common room, it became a little easier to understand why Draco's mind was in a bit of a shambles at the moment. A knock on the side door pulled Draco from his thoughts. He barely had a chance to utter a 'come in' when it swung open, revealing Potter dressed in a fitted white t-shirt and grey pyjama bottoms.

"Hey, Malfoy."

"Potter." Draco's stare seemed to be making Potter uncomfortable.

"Uh, how is everything?" Potter asked, raking a hand through his hair as he did so.

"Acceptable." It was actually a great deal more than he expected, but he decided that Potter didn't need to know that.

"Um, well, that's- that's good then." Potter wasn't looking at him now and Draco had the feeling that he was missing something. "I just wanted to make sure that you'd settled in okay."

Draco's next words were apparently what the other boy was waiting for. "Thanks Potter."

"Anytime." He gave Draco a lop-sided smile. There was an awkward little pause until Draco decided to voice the one question doing loops inside his head.

"Why'd you do all this?" Draco extended his arms, indicating that he was talking about the room.

Potter closed his eyes briefly and seemed to smile to himself. "Goodnight, Malfoy." With that, Potter turned back to his room, pulling the door closed with a soft click.

Still confused, Draco sighed deeply and then set about getting ready for bed.

* * *

.oOo.

* * *

As Draco slowly surfaced into consciousness, he had to remind himself of where he was. This was nothing new, but after a week of being back at Hogwarts, it was starting to wear thin. Maybe it was just the war experiences that made him extra cautious nowadays, or perhaps the fact that he expected to suddenly wake up one morning back at the Manor by himself, as if he hadn't been invited back to Hogwarts.

Shaking himself from those thoughts, Draco threw back the covers and rolled out of bed. He wasn't exactly a morning person per se, but he needed to allow time to make himself look presentable before he even _thought_ about setting foot outside his room. A Malfoy must always look his best, after all.

Padding his way over to the bathroom, Draco reflected on the discoveries made during the past week. All of his classes this year were with the other Eighth Years since there weren't enough students to create separate classes, plus nearly everyone had taken the same classes over the years anyway – Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, DADA, History of Magic, Herbology, and Care of Magical Creatures were usually the standard each year. As for the staff, the only changes made were in Transfiguration and DADA. Professor Ling, McGonagall's replacement, is a woman in her early-20s. She is average in build and has shoulder length blond hair and blue eyes. Although at first she seemed a bit timid, once she displayed her skill in the subject, the students took an immediate liking to her. Meanwhile, Professor Dwyer, the new DADA professor, is a tall, lanky man in his mid-30s with red, curly hair, green eyes and a short, bulbous nose. Both of the new professors seemed to know who he was, however neither of them showed any outward signs of contempt towards him.

If only he could say that of everyone else.

Draco knew that the students wouldn't be able to help themselves and that sooner or later someone would try to inflict some sort of damage upon his person. He was honestly surprised that he had lasted three days before two Fourth Years cornered him and fired off a few rounds of Stinging Jinxes each. Madam Pomfrey was not amused, to say the least. If he was being honest with himself, he had expected a lot worse to come his way a lot sooner. Of course, that all changed the following Friday.

* * *

.oOo.

* * *

Harry was slowly strolling towards the Library to work on Professor Ling's latest Transfiguration essay when a distant shout of pain caught his attention. Being the impulsive Gryffindor that he is, Harry tore around the corner of the corridor only to have Peeves halt him by pelting chalk at him while cackling delightedly.

"Piss off, Peeves!" he shouted. When Peeves didn't relent, Harry pulled his wand and fired off a quick _Langlock_, causing the poltergeist to flip Harry off as he bounced away down the corridor.

Harry resumed his dash towards the source of distress. Just outside the Library Harry found three students facing a corner, wands in hand. Harry approached with caution; no matter what people said about him, he knew that taking on three armed students – sixth years by the look of them – by himself would be foolish. That thought was extinguished when one of the attackers moved and Harry caught a glimpse of white-blond hair through parted legs.

Barely managing to control the fury surging through his body, Harry violently slashed his wand towards the trio, Summoning their wands. He felt a grim satisfaction in watching the wands being ripped from their owners' hands. Upon catching them, he contemplated the worth of actually snapping the objects but thought better of it, pocketing them to give to McGonagall later.

The three boys had spun around when they lost their wands, anger sliding from their faces as they realised that Harry Potter was several feet away and giving them a look that could only be described as lethal; green eyes flashing dangerously behind his glasses. The boy on the left, a fellow Gryffindor, spoke up.

"Harry!" His mild joy at seeing the Chosen One vanished once he figured out that Harry was glaring at _them_, rather than the Death Eater behind them. "We, we…uh, f-found a Death Eater and, uh, thought w-we'd t-t-teach him a lesson…" he trailed off as Harry continued advancing towards them.

"You will leave here," Harry started in an impressive imitation of Severus Snape's most deadly tone, "and go immediately to Professor McGonagall's office. You will then proceed to tell her what you have just done and then inform her that Draco and I will be in the Hospital Wing." When the boys hadn't moved from their frozen positions, Harry aimed his wand at them. "Go. _Now!_"

The boys scrambled away from the scene as fast as possible, pushing each other over in the process. Once they were out of sight, Harry spun around to see what kind of damage Malfoy had sustained. After taking in the image before him, Harry had a sense of déjà vu: Malfoy was slumped in the corner, moaning. His robes and shirt had been slashed in several different places; the edges of each tear in the fabric were deep red. It was apparent that his left arm had been more the focus than anywhere else. Forcing down his overwhelming urge to retch, he dropped to his knees next to the blond.

"Malfoy? Malfoy, can you hear me?"

Malfoy's eyes fluttered and half-opened. "Potter?" was the weak response.

"The one and only." He gave the blond a tight smile. "Just hold on, yeah? I'll fetch Madam Pomf–"

"N-no. Don't worry about it. I'm f-fine." From his shivering, it was clear that Malfoy was anything but fine.

Harry stood back up. "_Expecto Patronum_," he murmured. Once the silver stag had formed, Harry gave his wand a twist-jab-flick and sent the Patronus up through the stone ceiling to Pomfrey, praying to anyone who would listen that the attackers hadn't cast anything stronger than a _Diffindo_.

* * *

Well, that's not exactly a _big_ cliffie by any stretch. I mean there are definitely more chapters to come, so you know that Draco's (somewhat) fine :)

Hopefully we'll finally get to the de-aging next chapter. In the meantime, reviews are always lovely motivation ;)


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